Carlos Sainz could be fined for swearing over his Japanese GP fine

Williams driver Carlos Sainz looks set to be fined for the second week running after dropping an (undeniably amusing) expletive in an FIA press conference in the build-up to Sunday’s Bahrain Grand Prix.

Last weekend the Spaniard was fined €10,000 for missing the start of the pre-race national anthem in Japan, having had a stomach bug that caused an unplanned pit stop… in the toilet.

The stewards accepted that Sainz had a valid medical reason for not being at the front of the grid on time, but imposed a five-figure penalty anyway.

Asked about it in Bahrain, the 30-year-old joked: “I don’t know if I’m going to get another fine for saying this, but **** happens. It’s the way it goes sometimes.” Yep, that’s gonna be another few grand in the swear jar, isn’t it?

Meanwhile George Russell reportedly called it – and we didn’t think we’d be typing out these words on a Friday morning – a “pretty expensive poo”. Kinda gross, but factually correct: Sainz has definitely spent more than a penny…

“I think I’m the biggest supporter of punctuality, and especially [for] a national anthem, with all the authorities there,” said Carlos. "So I was the first one to put my hand up and say: ‘I'm late. I'm sorry for that.’

“At the same time, I was five seconds late. And to be five seconds late and have to pay €10,000 or whatever the fine is, for me, it is out of the question that we are having to pay these fines.

“It’s disappointing. I hope, as I’ve always said, I hope someone tells me where this €10K goes. And they say, ‘OK, at least it went to a nice cause'. And I will be looking forward to seeing where they go.”